The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-07-08

seats iol 'empting GOODNESS of a
promenade IN the corridors. Hundreds a~osa
and then resumed their seats to lraar a ~
round of plaudts. It was briIIian. t,;S ~ suo
o lady whose many admirers here reioiced in her
Stewart and Miss Marie Groebl. Of New yorI
were both generously rewarded for their chsrra
ing singing. The closing concert, like manv
other good things in life, fulfilled the old savins
'The last of the wine is the best of the fas
W. W.
It is not easy to say what is tie most coneenial
task to the musical critic. to pour out the vial.
of wrath, to burn incense or to dissect. IF he be
dyspeptic or be an embodiment of Gaut,er,s
definition of the critic--that is, one who. having
been Tilted by the muse, can only stand aloof
and count the stages of the real poets advance
in her favor-in that case the discharge
Of wormwood is relief and a COM
fort If he be, however. q genial man. with
his veins full of sweet blood, like a maple. it is
agreeable to praise: or, if he be proud OF his
keen scalpel of words, tbs close discrimination of
q logical criticism is his joy. The task of the
present reviewer is emphatcally ofthe paneeyric
variety. Nay. it should be rather pean than a
panegyric, as there is room for only one opinion
concerning the concert last evening
One of the most brilliant, complete and fas-
cinating programmes every heard in any Amer
lean city was performed in Tomlinson Hall by
the Van der Stucken orchestra, assisted by
Mademoisele Julia Rve-ling. pianist and Miss
Ellie Stewart and Miss Mary Groebl, vocal
lists. The evening was devoted to the illustra-
ton of what musical genius isnow accomplish
ing in Europe The composers drawn upon were
of eight nationalites. Rubinstein, a Russian;
Gernsheim. a German; Grieg. Norseman; Mac
kenzie, Scotchman; Saint Saens a Frenchman;
Beno a Belgian; Seambati an Italian, and
Dyorak, Bohemian. Surely here was a cosmo-
politan throne; here was Congress- of nations.
The preponderance was given decidedly to
light and brilliant wrks such as
send the blood dancing along the veins
and set a Jingle at work among ones nerve
centers. Perhaps the tamest composition of all
was the selection from Mackenze's. ason, "for in
1t he attempted, without any marked originality
of design or working, to depict The ocean. Now,
we will not Americanly say that, after Men
delssohn and Rubenstein. the ocean is a chest
nut. but perhaps it may be remarked the oceanic
efforts in music have castanian flavor all their
own.
The overture, ''The Bridal journey BY
Gernshelm, was an inspiring piece of fresh yet
familiar writing for the strings. and it was
positive comfort to the sense Of conservative
beauty to hear q modern composer fearlessly use
those downright groups of sixteenths in regular
fours. on the same Tone which are so well worn
yet so effective on stringed instruments
In vivid contrast with this was that longing,
dreaming romanza by Grieg. Gritg is Morse
man, and, like his Wild beautiful Norway, ne
is savage and tender, wild and fentle, abrupt
and graceful by turns. Bayard Taylor tells
that there two distinct Norw,ys-one made
of the fiords and their precipitoss valleys; the
other broken. yet smiling table-land on the tops
of truncated mountains. Such is i4riee. This
was one of his sweetest oods and the melody
wound around the gracious harmonies like a
twisted honeysuckle. 1t WA. Milton
called
Notes in many a winding bout
OF linked sweetness long drawn out
Sgambat the Liszt of Italy YVES presented to
US in fresh and beautiful seren made which with
its flowing euphonies and sharpcut, simple coun-
terpoints, revealed the Latin nature while in it's
boldness originality and novel chroulatic har-
it showed the effect of familiarity
with the deep modern German school
Benoit, the Belgian. was brought to orr atten-
ton in certain piquant dance forms from his
''Sharlotte Corde" There is style of rhythm
and of harmonization as distinctly French as is
that OF Strauss or Weber distinctly German.
scientific musicians were those major
ninths OF the dominants and the gay
Benoit, Brassln and
Fetis prove that the Begians who made the
fifteenth century famous are not dead yet. The
Belgian school. though not identical with the
French, Ii closely cognate to it. In our day.
strumental music by Camille Saint Saens, who.
an avowed follower of List. is one of the new
school and yet is as individual as was Berlioz
that prince of innovators.
Saint Saens was represented by his second
concerto for piano. 1t is in the related and
lovely KEYS of G minor, fiat major and G.
minor. The Introduction for piano solo in the
strong, Bach-ike roll of the four-note figure
shows how that cornerstone of modern music
Jonn Sebastian Bach, is built upon by all our
composers. Even the hayward. aerial Chopin
loved to play his music, and now Saint Saens,
the colorist, the weird tone-painter,
the Gustave Dore of music, draws upon him.
the most remarkable feature in the structure of
this concerto is the way in which the piano. the
iS held itR work for fharA ia
scarcely let-up from beginning to end. and.
although the whole work is only little
Time filed with such dazzling virtu-
$50 effects. cannot be less than a
Herculean task for the performer. And such
performance as it was. Never since the triumphs
If Rubinstein. in New York mas there been such
IN ovation The cheering. the braves the en-
cores were vociferous. and the whole audience
vas wrought to pitch Of enthusiasm mar
'elous TO witness. Those who came
rom Ohio and had patriotic inter
st IL the success of their countrywoman-
hme RivsKing was born Cincinnati
we're nearly beside themselves with delight and
ride Well they might be, for it was phenom-
nal performance All the world knows that
lime. Rive King is brilliant virtuoso, but
wen she was eclipsed by herself last evening. 1t
idle to specify technical details, for everything
vas there. Her tones were like those bells of
rystal which the Moslems believe hang upon
rom Allah's throne. Every graduation was
here from the tinke of falling water-drop to
he mellow clangor of some sonorous bell. Then.
s for speed, equality. dash. repose, fire. i'm
etuosity, strength, endurance what can one
ayl Nothing but superlatives. The most
vouderful thing in all the wonderful per-
ormance was the sense of ease and complete
mastery which pervaded the whole the blowing
7ind pervades and sways the forest Nothing |
eemed any harder than anything else, and as
he wind can toy with rwig wrench oak |
rom the earth. she whirled the music out |
rom the instrument with q rushing, mighty |
yind of inspiration. Then how the piano re- |
pended to the demands she made with sweet |
liver whispers. gurRles of laughter and |
forms of overpowerine sorority.
Rubinstein was represented only by two little |
uets for soprano and contralto, exquistely sung |
y Miss Stewart and Miss Groebl. The con-
ert came to a splendid close with one OF |
,vorak's Savonic Dances a marvel of original |
nd vital fire in melody, in harmony, in coun- |
srpoint and in Instrumentation.
The orchestra under Mr.. Van der Stucken |
lerits warm praise for it's artistic excellence
9th in the solo pieces for itself and in its fault
ss refined accompaniment to the concert.
JOHN S. VANCLEvE.